O’Reilly: ‘Republicans can’t survive the anger that people are feeling’ on spending

Political commentator Bill O’Reilly on Monday said Republicans cannot survive the anger people are feeling about the ongoing affordability crisis ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Appearing on NewsNation, host Leland Vittert asked O’Reilly if remarks made by Republican candidates in battleground elections who are calling for an end to the Iran war as grocery and energy prices continue to rise were correct.

“Theoretically, they’re right, but you can make a Munich argument about looking the other way when a terrorist has a nuclear weapon, is trying to get one,” O’Reilly said. “You can make that argument, but a realistic argument is enough.”

“Republicans can’t survive the anger that people are feeling when they spend as much money as they’re spending. Can’t survive it,” he continued.

The commentator stated he expected “something to happen shortly” that will alter Americans’ views on Iran, and “that’s positive to the United States.” O’Reilly was unclear what that would be.

“But I don’t think it can hang on much longer,” he concluded.

His comments were in response to Rep. Ashley Hinson, the Republican Senate candidate in Iowa, who on Monday linked the war in Iran to rising prices in the U.S. Her move was echoed by former Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee in Michigan’s Senate race, who said “Michigan families can’t afford to wait” for the Iran war to reach its conclusion, calling for an end to the conflict.

President Trump has defended the war effort in the face of rising prices, saying at a rally on Wednesday that high costs were “a very inexpensive price to pay for” the Iran war.

“But that’s going to come tumbling down. That’s going to be like rocket ships in reverse,” he added.

The division within the GOP comes as Democrats make the cost of living a core issue going into the midterm elections.

The U.S.-Israeli conflict in Iran has caused energy prices to skyrocket worldwide, pushing the national average price of gas to $4.47 per gallon as of Tuesday, according to AAA . Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for oil exports, is the primary cause of higher prices in recent months.